about
Dr. Brigid McInnes Connelly OTD, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist based in New York City, specializing in relationship-focused, neurodiversity-affirming care.
Dr. Connelly partners with children, adolescents, and their caregivers as they navigate the joys and challenges of everyday life. Her approach centers on supporting families in their daily routines, cultivating self-efficacy and belonging at home, school, and in the neighborhood, and designing environments that promote access and connection for all.
Grounded in early teaching and research at the Barnard Center for Toddler Development, she is now on the faculty at the Cooke School & Institute, where she supports adolescents in Adaptive Skills programming as they build independence in self-care and community participation, while strengthening executive functioning skills and deepening understanding of sensory processing patterns. Across clinical practice, teaching, and public engagement, she explores how individuals and families make meaning within experiences of dis/ability and vulnerability, translating interdisciplinary insights into practical tools that strengthen communities and challenge oppressive norms.
A native Brooklynite, Dr. Connelly holds a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD) from the University of Southern California, where she received the Distinguished Contribution to Research or Writing Award and the Order of Arête. She earned her BA in Religion from Columbia University, graduating summa cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.